


Go Fish

by joufancyhuh



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Kinda sorta? Hurt/Comfort, One-Shot, Shakarian - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2017-07-01
Packaged: 2018-11-21 19:58:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11364561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joufancyhuh/pseuds/joufancyhuh
Summary: Garrus is concerned that Shepard's fish aren't getting enough food. Shepard thinks it's cute.





	Go Fish

**Author's Note:**

  * For [YourLocalPriestess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/YourLocalPriestess/gifts).



> I don't ship this. That should tell you how much I love and appreciate Liz. This was originally supposed to be a birthday fic, but that's been changed.

The elevator dinged as Garrus reached the top floor. EDI said Shepard was in her cabin, and while uneasiness skittered across his thoughts at the idea of being alone with her in her room, he needed to talk with her. The importance of the matter couldn’t wait.

The doors opened as he neared, and he stepped inside, a little hesitant. “Shepard?”

No answer but the sound of running water coming from the bathroom.

He decided it best to wait in the upper half of the room, using the time to assess her decorations. Her desk stood cluttered with old coffee mugs and paperwork, along with some random model ship parts and hamster food. He peered up into the cage, weary of the small, furry creature from Earth. Shepard said that thing was harmless, but Garrus had his doubts. He’d seen it eat, back at the pet store; he knew it grew sharp teeth.

He turned his back to it to ignore its presence. Alien traditions were so odd, keeping a small creature in a cage. It seemed like punishment, but Shepard assured him of its entertainment value. It still felt like slavery to Garrus.

The fish though, the beautiful range of colors that swam in the bright blue of the tank in Shepard’s wall, he understood that. Several species kept live food, even giving it names and caring for it until they ate it. Shepard’s fish, marvelous as they seemed, were on the skinnier side. When did she last feed them?

He rifled through her desk, finding a small container of fish food in one of the drawers. He chuckled at the eagerness in which the fish fought over the flakes drifting down into the tank. Tapping the glass, he murmured, “Has Shepard not been feeding you?”

“Not as much as they’d probably like,” came a voice behind him, startling him into spinning around, back straight and a look of embarrassment on his face. Catherine Shepard stood with a white towel wrapped around her naked frame, water pooling at her feet on the tile. She used a different towel to rub her dark hair, giving her a disheveled appearance.

She quirked an eyebrow as she smirked. “Talking to the fish, Garrus? Any of them have anything good to say?”

She came over to stand by his side, finger pressed against the glass next to a bright red and purple fish. “Pete here, don’t get him started about bioticball. He’s a gambling addict, but thinks we don’t know.” She half-turned toward him, a peek of skin showing between her breasts.

His eyes shot to the ceiling. Don’t stare, even if she made it hard not to.

She nudged his shoulder with hers, still damp from her shower, and headed downstairs. “So I’m sure you didn’t come here just to talk fish. What did you need, Vakarian?”

The thought slipped his mind as her reflection in the glass dropped the towel onto the floor. The room suddenly felt very hot. Why was he there again? He concentrated on the fish, words a jumbled mess in his mouth.

“You wanna wait until I’m dressed then? Or I could always meet you in the main gun.”

“Main gun works,” he managed to squeak out before making a dash toward the elevator. Her laughter followed him down to the third floor.

* * *

 

He couldn’t get the thought of the fish out of his mind, their bright, dazzling colors blending together in the water with a reflection of Shepard’s naked and supple flesh in the background. His mouth watered at the thought of the fish, or was it her flesh? Why couldn’t he leave it alone?

He found himself back in her cabin while she on a mission in Omega. She left him behind because of his Archangel days, and calibrating the gun couldn’t stop the restless feeling in him. He needed to see the fish again.

They seemed delighted to see him, and even more so when food started raining from the sky.

He decided to bring it up in the mess hall, Shepard in her usual spot across from him. “The fish,” he said, watching her eyes glint at the mention of them. “They don’t seem like they get a lot of food.”

She shrugged. “I forget a lot.” She pointed her spoon at him, flinging gravy onto the table. “Is this where you tell me that you've been sneaking into my cabin to feed them?” She snickered when she saw the widening of his eyes. “Yeah, I know. EDI keeps a log in my absence, in case anything goes missing.”

“I wasn’t trying… I mean, I didn’t-”

The corners of her lips twitched upwards. “Garrus? Stop talking.” She set her spoon down on her tray and folded her hands in front of her. “I don’t mind that you’ve been sneaking up to my cabin to feed my fish.” She cocked her head to the side. “It’s kind of cute actually. But why the secrecy? Why not just ask?”

* * *

 

Sometimes, Shepard was there when he arrived. Her eyes glanced up at him from her datapad, a small smile tugging on her lips. He learned to bring her up a fresh cup of coffee from the mess, which earned him bigger smiles and an appreciative look. After he fed the fish, sometimes he would sit next to her on the couch, not saying anything, eyes closed as he listened to her work. Being around her soothed him in a way he couldn’t explain.

* * *

 

The cabin reflected the blue of the tank in the dark.The email she sent said help needed, but the dark stood unexpected. Shepard stood by, a hand pressed to the glass. Garrus’ steps faltered as he walked to her side. Her cheeks shone wet in the light. “Shepard?”

“He’s dead, Garrus.” She leaned her forehead against the glass, face scrunching up with a fresh round of tears.

Cold wove itself into his veins. Who died? His mind raced as he tried to find a list of possibles. Was this a nightmare? Someone in her family?

He placed an arm around her shoulder, waiting for her to say more. Instead, she pulled herself back up and pointed a finger to the top of the tank, where one of the fish floated upside down. She sniveled, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. “Pete died.”

His mandibles flicked out though he remained quiet. All this for a fish? For food? Wasn’t she going to eat it anyway?

“I did everything right. The tank is clean, and he’s being fed. I don’t know how this happened. I don’t know what I did wrong.” She kept her eyes glued on the tank. “I don’t know what to do, Garrus. I don’t know if I can get him out.”

Missing the usual smile on her face, he quipped, “Guess the other fish decided to collect on his debts.” This got a smile out of her, though tears still leaked out. He wiped a talon under her eyes, trying to dry her cheeks. “I can do it. I’ll grab him for you, but Shepard…” He pulled her into him, her head against his carapace.

“Sometimes, we do everything right, and it will still go wrong. It’s not always someone’s fault. Life happens, with or without you.”

Her arms wrapped around his waist, a shiver running down his spine. Her crying settled down and she looked up at him, eyes bright. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

“You sent me an email, remember? Garrus Vakarian, here to help.”

He smirked until a hand slid around his neck. Eyes widened as she forced his head to tilt down toward her. Her lips pushed against his lip plates, tongue running along his mouth. When she pulled back, he felt a little breathless. Words failed to form on his tongue, and he just stared into the pale blue of her eyes.

She offered him a small smile and let go. “Your help’s appreciated.” She patted his shoulder and headed down the stairs.


End file.
